Rents are 3% below what Wauwatosa's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,686 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Wauwatosa, WI is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 64% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Wauwatosa, WI has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Wauwatosa, WI has increased by $413 per month, settling near $1,686 after starting the period at $1,273. Household income in the area moved from $90,420 to $101,138 across the same window, up 11.9% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 20.5 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 48,072 to 48,529 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.0% change. About 39.2% of households rent today, against 36.6% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 60.6% to 64%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Wauwatosa, WI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Wauwatosa on your salary?
At $1,686/mo, how Wauwatosa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Wauwatosa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Wauwatosa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Wauwatosa
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Wauwatosa is $1,686/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,035/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,390/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,165/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,725/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($101,138/yr), Wauwatosa ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wauwatosa an affordable city for renters?
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How does Wauwatosa rent compare to other cities in Wisconsin?
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What percentage of Wauwatosa residents rent vs. own?
How does Wauwatosa rent compare to the national average?
At $1,686/mo, rent takes ~20% of Wauwatosa's median household income ($101,138/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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